Presented by Liberty Bank, Event Has Now Surpassed a Quarter of a Million Dollars Raised for Vets and Active-Duty Military Since 2011

New Britain, Conn., November 17, 2025 – DAV Hardware City Chapter 8’s Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open, among the largest Veterans charity golf events in Connecticut, established a new record at this year’s tournament at Tunxis Country Club on September 26, raising $33,000 for causes supporting Veterans and active-duty military.

The event, presented for the past five years by Liberty Bank, attracted 235 golfers (one shy of last year’s high-water mark) and a record 300 attendees to its post-golf dinner and ceremonies. The $33,000 raised this year surpasses last year’s previous high of $30,000. Established in 2009 and a full-fledged charity event since 2011 the “GK,” as it is affectionately called, has now surpassed the quarter-million-dollars-raised plateau, generating more than $268,000 since 2011.

“We continue to be amazed by the growth and success of this wonderful event, and we are so grateful for all those golfers, sponsors and supporters who clearly have a deep appreciation for service and sacrifice,” said Founder and Tournament Director Dennis Buden. “The people of Connecticut, and the Greater New Britain region in particular, have big hearts and deep pockets when it comes to honoring and serving our Veterans.”

This year’s proceeds will support a wide array of causes serving veterans and active-duty military. The event’s primary beneficiaries are House of Heroes Connecticut, which provides one-day, no-cost home improvements for veterans in need, and the event’s host, DAV Hardware City Chapter 8, which is part of the national Disabled American Veterans, one of the nation’s largest veterans service organizations.

Also supported by this year’s GK are Berlin-based Boxes to Boots, which provides care packages to active-duty military serving overseas; the DAV Department of Connecticut Transportation Fund, which provides transportation to medical appointments for veterans; the Iwo Jima Memorial Historical Foundation, which maintains the National Iwo Jima Memorial on the New Britain/Newington line; Vets Healing on the Fly, which offers veterans and active-duty military the opportunity to heal through fly fishing and fly fishing-related programs; Scoops for Troops, a charity founded and managed by a Plainville family that raises funds to provide no-cost, week-long respites for combat-wounded vets and their families at the Travis Mills Foundation retreat in Maine; Bristol-based Veterans Strong Community Center, which provides support and information, and is a resource center for local veterans, service members and their families; Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which builds mortgage-free homes – including specially adapted smart homes – for Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children; Skydive for Veterans, an annual event in Ellington that supports House of Heroes Connecticut and Work Vessels for Vets; and the World War II Legacy Foundation, which works to preserve the legacy of The Greatest Generation and this year established Connecticut’s first World War II Museum in East Hartford.

Three of these charities are benefitting at the direction of this year’s DAV Chapter 8 Angelo Tomasso, Sr. and Angelo Tomasso, Jr. Veteran of Distinction Award honorees. They are the late Bruce Fagan, an Army Veteran who dedicated his post-military life to supporting his fellow Vets (charity of choice: Skydive for Veterans); U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and Battle of Iwo Jima survivor Joe Caminiti of Bristol (charity of choice: Veterans Strong Community Center); and Caminiti’s fellow Marine and Iwo Jima survivor, Peter Senick of New Haven (charities of choice: Iwo Jima Memorial Historical Foundation and House of Heroes Connecticut).

Along with Liberty Bank, major sponsors of this year’s Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open included Diamond Sponsor Access Health CT; Platinum Sponsors Newfield Construction, the Petit Family Foundation, the Starlight Program at Stonington Institute and The Tomasso Group; and Gold Sponsors AT&T, the Army Aviation Association of America Connecticut Chapter, Engineered Handling Systems, Houzpital, Jasko Development, Kloter Farms and the Mayor’s Trophy Charitable Fund; and many more.

Next year’s event will take place again at Tunxis Country Club on September 25, 2026.

For more information about DAV Hardware City Chapter 8 and the Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open, visit www.davchapter8.org. Inquiries regarding sponsorships for the 2026 event may be directed to Dennis Buden at dennis.buden@davchapter8.org.

About the Disabled American Veterans

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is a non-profit 501(c)(4) charity dedicated to building better lives for America’s disabled veterans and their families. Last year, the organization provided more than 235,000 rides to medical appointments and assisted veterans in filing more than 561,000 claims for benefits. With more than 1,200 chapters, including DAV Hardware City Chapter 8, and more than one million members across the country, DAV empowers our nation’s heroes and their families by helping to provide the resources they need and ensuring our nation keeps the promises made to them.

About Liberty Bank

Established in 1825, Liberty Bank is the oldest and largest independent mutual bank in the country. With $8.4 billion in assets, Liberty has 54 banking offices across Connecticut and Massachusetts. As a full-service financial institution, Liberty offers consumer and commercial banking, cash management, home mortgages, business loans, insurance and investment services. Liberty has been named a ‘Top Workplace’ every year since 2012 and was designated a 2021, 2022 and 2023 Best-In-State Bank in Connecticut by Forbes Magazine.

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Media Contact: Dennis Buden, DAV Hardware City Chapter 8 (860) 558-0514 dennis.buden@davchapter8.org